American Gear
by the extraordinary gentleman
Summary: Nothing was the same after that battle with Behemoth, especially when a newcomer joins into Kogarasumaru. Rated M for the gradual increase of maturity, language, and violence.
1. Kogarasumaru

Author note: Well, this is my first little story. I may or may not make it longer than this, but I haven't decided on it yet. So yeah, here we go. Evan Cullina is an original character. I may or may not manipulate some of the canon of the Air Gear universe for purposes of the story. All is explained in the story.

Disclaimer: I neither own nor created Air Gear and any related original content

American Gear

Chapter One: Kogarasumaru

Evan Cullina skid to a stop on his air treks, right outside of the hide out for Team Kogarasumaru. At least, that's where it was according to the people he had to… coerce into telling him. He lit up a cigarette and waited. "Damn Japanese crap…" he said as he exhaled and pushed his long bangs out of his eyes, settling the long, dirty brown duster he wore, unclasping the collar and buttons. He preferred to wear his coat open anyways.

According to his 'informants,' Kogarasumaru would be there shortly after sunset, and sure enough, they came right as he tossed the butt of his finished cigarette to the ground. His legs relaxed and he felt his senses extend. Martial arts can teach a person a lot.

With a shove of his leg he was off, sliding to a stop in Itsuki Minami's path. With a slight bit of effort, Itsuki managed a three sixty jump over Evan. "Watch where you're riding," Itsuki yelled as the other members came to a stop, surrounding Evan. "This is our turf, what're you doing here?"

"Parts war, rank F, dash. I challenge you, Itsuki Minami."

Itsuki smirked. "What's on the line," he asked.

"My treks against a spot on Kogarasumaru," Evan replied.

Itsuki looked down to the treks on Evan's feet, not recognizing them against any treks that he had seen before. "What kind of treks are those," Itsuki asked, "I've never seen any treks like them before."

Kazu whipped out his phone and snapped a picture of them. "They're a foreign model. An American company called Skatze makes them. According to his card, he's never ridden before."

"It's a new card… the old one malfunctioned," Evan said. "Do you accept my challenge, or does the great Itsuki Minami back down from a foreigner's challenge?"

"It's on alright," Itsuki said. "Three laps around the border of Eastside JHS."

In seconds the two storm riders were at their mark, ready for their race. It was Onigiri who gave the signal, "GO!"

With that, Itsuki and Evan shot off on the first lap, Itsuki grinding the fence and Evan skating on the concrete next to him, the tails of his long coat flailing out behind him. At the first turn in the fence, Evan pulled a one eighty jump into a reverse porn star grind, catching Itsuki's eyes with his and smirked. "Can the future Keeper of Sky Road beat me?" he asked.

"Just wait and we'll find out," Itsuki replied.

As the two riders sped through the dash battle, Kazu looked up Evan's statistics on the net using a new function on the storm rider site. "This isn't good," Kazu said.

"What's not good?" Onigiri asked as Evan and Itsuki raced passed them.

"He's… A rank," Kazu replied.

"We could have used him in our little battle with Behemoth," Kazu said. "He's from America and he's undefeated in all the battles he's fought in, but never went to a team. According to the site, this is the first battle he's had in Japan."

"Without Agito, we need him," Buccha said, looking over Kazu's shoulder.

"I hear that you lost your top ranked rider in a battle against Behemoth," Evan said as he made a turn in the fence with a three sixty to a reverse porn star.

"What's it matter to you?" Itsuki said as he three sixtied to a standard grind.

"You need another rider, or you won't be able to handle anyone above an E rank," Evan said.

"Here, look at this footage from one of his D rank battles in America," Kazu said. Buccha and Onigiri hovered behind Kazu to watch it. Their mouths dropped as they watched him battle in the cube.

"And I thought that Agito was scary," Onigiri said as Itsuki and Evan sped past them again.

"Yeah, well I got no problem keeping up with you!" Itsuki cried as he leapt over Evan in a three sixty bi-axel jump.

Evan smirked and leapt after him in a seven twenty barrel roll, grabbing the rail with his hands and launching himself to a porn star grind. "Shit!" Kazu exclaimed as he brought Evan's stats back up. "His top speed beats mine!"

Evan sped past Itsuki in a blur and skid to a stop in front of Kazu, Onigiri and Buccha. Itsuki came to a stop, panting, seconds behind him. "I believe I now hold a spot on Kogarasumaru," Evan said.

Itsuki smirked and held out his hand, "You got it, A rank," Itsuki said. Evan took Itsuki's hand in a firm handshake.

"You knew he was A rank," the three other members of Kogarasumaru exclaimed.

"Ofcourse I knew," Itsuki said as he rubbed his index finger beneath his nose, "I'm the captain of Kogarasumaru, I know the rank of every storm rider that challenges us."

Three Months Earlier

"Agito," Itsuki yelled as the falling debris from the battle against Behemoth fell around them, "let's get out of here."

"Right," Agito said as he began to move, but didn't get far. A large chunk of the ceiling collapsed on top of him, smashing his body to a pulp.

"Agito," Itsuki cried, "fuck." He growled in anger, but didn't have much time. As the blood from Agito's smashed body began to slide out from beneath the pile of debris, Itsuki launched himself out through the new hole in the ceiling and took off.

"Itsuki," Kazu yelled, "Where's Agito?"

"He didn't make it," Itsuki yelled back. Team Kogarasumaru was making all haste in getting back to their hide out in Eastside JHS.

"What do you mean he didn't make it," Kazu yelled.

"I mean he didn't make it, ok," Itsuki yelled. "I don't want to talk about it just now, wait until we get to the hide out."

An hour long silent ride found the team in their hide out within Eastside JHS, all of them silent, the reality of Agito's death settling amongst them like a dark storm cloud. "How did it happen?" Kazu asked Itsuki.

"The ceiling caved in on him," Itsuki said, staring at the ground.

"And what happened to his regalia?" Kazu asked.

Itsuki tossed the fang regalia to the floor. "There it is," he said.

"Well what are we gonna do with it?" Onigiri asked.

"Nothing. None of us are good enough to handle it, and it was Agito who should be wearing it," Itsuki said. "So for now we don't do anything with it."


	2. Regalia

American Gear

Chapter Two: Regalia

"So why move to Japan," Itsuki asked Evan, when they were all gathered together in the hide out.

"This is where storm riding started," he said, "It's also the only place where the real teams are at. There's one problem though," he said as he lit up a cigarette.

"And what's that?" Kazu asked.

"The menthol cigarettes here suck," he said as he exhaled. "But all of that fails in comparison to my real reason for being here," he said.

"And why are you _really_ here," Itsuki asked.

"The Fang Regalia," he said after taking another drag off his cigarette.

"No dice," Itsuki said, "That's Agito's regalia."

Evan took a sharp drag off his cigarette. "The Fang Road has no keeper. Whoever takes the regalia takes the road," Evan said, exhaling the cloud of smoke.

"You want it, you better earn it," Itsuki said. "The Fang Regalia is Agito's regalia, and you aren't fucking getting it unless you earn his place."

"Fuck that, I ground, sliced and slashed my way through everyone in America to get to A rank just so I could challenge him after he inevitably got it back from Akira," Evan said, "I aint letting you get in the way of that."

"Well if you don't wanna work for it, you aren't getting it," Itsuki said.

Evan glared daggers at Itsuki, "Fine, then I'll play it your way. And what are you going to do if a strong D-rank challenges the team for it?"

"Then you'll grind, slice and slash your way through them," Kazu said, "After all, that's what Americans do, isn't it? Beat the shit out of the competition?"

"You insinuating something about me beanie boy," Evan said as he blew smoke at Kazu.

"You aren't gonna get the regalia any faster if you misbehave. You won your way into this team, doesn't mean we have to keep you," Itsuki said. "And if you are gonna sit here and pick fights with us, then you definitely aren't getting it."

"Just so long as I have it in five months I'll be happy," Evan said.

"Why five months?" Kazu asked

"That's when my tuner gets here," Evan said.

"Tuners handle all the tweaking and tuning on a road kings treks," Buccha said.

"But you don't have the Fang Regalia," Itsuki said.

"You think there's only one king for each road?" Evan asked after taking a drag on his cigarette. "Each country has its own regalia for each road. The Fang Regalia is the Japanese regalia for the Blood Road. I have the American regalia for it, the Claw Regalia."

"But I thought each road had only one king," Onigiri said.

"Pay attention, I already told you there's more than one king. Each country with air treks has a king for each road, and each country has ONE company turning out parts. And each country has one regalia turned out for each road. Here in Japan you have the Fang Regalia for the Blood Road, in America, we have the Claw Regalia."

"So then, you already are the Blood King," Kazu said. "What do you need the Fang for?"

"Because I want more than just kingship," Evan said.

"What are you talking about?" Itsuki asked.

"Empiriality. To take every regalia of my road, and then reign supreme on it," Evan said, taking the last drag on his cigarette and blowing smoke in Itsuki's face.

"You sound like Agito," Itsuki said.

About Three Months Earlier

Itsuki went to the roof and found Agito sitting there already. "Big day tomorrow, you should get some rest."

"Fuck off," Agito said. "I'm only doing this to get my regalia back. After that I'm gone."

"And where are you gonna go after that?" Itsuki asked.

"Well… I…" Agito stammered, trying to figure out what to say to get Itsuki away from him.

"You haven't figured it out yet, have you," Itsuki concluded.

"I have. I'm going to America and I'm gonna take out the other King of the Blood Road. Then the ones in Brittan, Germany, Russia and China. No one will have any stake in the Blood Road but ME," Agito growled his words out to Itsuki.

"And where are you going to live?" Itsuki asked him.

"Well… I guess I'll…" Agito never thought about that. It was only his ambitions. "Then I guess I'll stay here, but only for Akito's sake."

"Good, we still need you," Itsuki said.

"Fuck," Agito realized that Itsuki only wanted him because of how useful he was, but that he cared about Akito as a friend.

"You know, if you lightened up a bit, you'd have a few more friends," Itsuki said.

Agito thought about that. He thought about how Akito would have reacted. Finally, he tried letting out a laugh.

"So even the king of the Blood Road can laugh," Itsuki said as he gave Agito a gentle punch on the shoulder. Accidentally hitting him too hard and causing Agito to fall from the roof.

"FUCK!" Agito yelled as he hit the ground.


	3. Challenge 1

American Gear

Chapter Three: CHALLENGE 1

Evan stood on the roof of East Side JHS, waiting. It was fairly common knowledge that Kogarasumaru held Agito's Fang, and rumors were spreading about the American King that joined into the team. Eventually, he would catch everything that he came for, and in the end, he would reign undisputedly as the absolute king of the road he rode.

That was his plan. That was how he saw everything unfolding. It wouldn't be too long until he earned his place and got the fang, then it was a simple matter of taking the Russian, Brittan, German and Chinese Kings down. Everything was going so well.

He didn't turn to look when he heard a clumsy landing behind him. "What do you want," was all he said.

"You were going to kill him, weren't you...in the battle for the regalia," Kazu asked.

Evan took out a cigarette and lit up, "If it came to that, then possibly. My road and Agito's was the same, he would have killed me if it came to it," Evan said.

"Does it bother you that he's already dead?" Kazu asked.

"Let's have a retrospective moment of silence for the dead king," he said as he took a deep drag on his cigarette and exhaled it to the sky. "Yeah, it bothers me. It bothers me that I couldn't get the Fang Regalia in an honorable way. It bothers me that he died the way he did. It bothers me that Mr. Sock Head, that's you, is prying into my personal feelings and emotions."

"Who're you calling a Sock Head?" Kazu asked.

Evan took a drag off his cigarette, French inhaling. "You," he said. "Come here."

"Why?" Kazu asked.

"I want you to see something," Evan said.

Kazu glided up to him, cautiously. "What is it," he asked.

"The moon is full tonight," Evan said. "If you can see it, it's beautiful. The moon beams play and glint off the road I ride."

"I don't see it," Kazu said.

"Of course you don't, you don't know how to see it, not in its entirety, but look to the moon, and look just right and even one riding a different road can see it when the moon is full," Evan said. "You just need to look at it the right way and there it is, the road to the moon, and the stars, paved in blood, glistening and sparkling in the pale white light of the night."

Kazu looked, but couldn't see it. "I still don't see anything."

Evan shook his head. "The Blood Road, when handled the right way, by a king who uses not just the blood, but the sky itself in his style, erects a new road of blood suspended in the air. In America, we call it the Moon Road," Evan exhaled a drag from his cigarette. "And I'm the one who took over its creation from the Blood King before me in America. But there's a problem."

"These treks just won't work," Evan said. "My tuner can take them apart and fiddle around with them, but even when at maximum overdrive, they only get me so close to the sky."

"That's why you want the Fang Regalia," Kazu said.

"If my tuner gets her hands on the Fang, she can take my claw and cross breed the two into a new regalia. Stronger and more powerful, and maybe capable of finishing this road to the sky for the predator of the ground," Evan said as he exhaled another drag.

"A noble cause and dream," Kazu said.

"One that may soon be realized," Evan said. "Look.

Riders were beginning to circle East Side JHS; all of them dressed the same, wearing masks in the fashion of a surgeon. "Who are they?"

"The Night Surgeons," Evan said. "A team of D rank standing that is striving to take the place of Behemoth. They can't do it though. They need a regalia for that, and their eyes are set on Agito's Fang."

Evan watched as a single Night Surgeon pulled a three sixty wall ride into a seven twenty bi-axel, landing on the roof with them. The Night Surgeon dashed past them and ten eighty pipe grinded his way up the school's flag pole and slapped a sticker of his team over Kogarasumaru's.

"And so, they challenge us to a battle. No doubt they want us to put up the fang," Evan said as he tossed his finished cigarette aside and lit up a new one.

Roughly Three Months Ago

"So falls Behemoth," said Spitfire.

"Indeed," said Simca. "Do you still believe that he isn't good enough to take your place?"

"After his performance tonight, there is a distinct possibility that he might just have what it takes," Spitfire said. "This Kazu is fairly promising."

"I told you he would be."

"And speaking of performances, you never told me you were quite the actor. For a moment I almost believed that you were the Masked Croissant," Spitfire said.

"Stop teasing me," Simca said. "We have more important things to worry about, like my little crow."

"Or the Timber Wolf, King of the American Blood Road," Spitfire said. "He's relatively ruthless when he battles, but he does have a good side. News of Agito's death and Kogarasumaru's possession of the Fang Regalia will draw him here. He'll either kill Itsuki Minami for Agito's Fang, or he'll train him and make him grow from this little crow into a majestic raven. After all, he was the best candidate in America for the title of Sky King of America. If he comes, it will either end in bloodshed, or Itsuki Minami's rise to his destiny."

"You just want to prove to me that Itsuki won't make it on his own," Simca said.

"Did any of us make it to where we are on our own?"


	4. Prepare

American Gear

Chapter Four: Prepare

"Who are these Night Surgeons," Itsuki asked after Evan told him about their challenge.

"A D rank team similar to Behemoth, always losing a match just often enough to stay in D. The problem with them is that they are dangerous, they all have blades on their treks," Evan said.

"Well then, that's interesting," Kazu said.

"Shut up beanie head."

"Shutting up."

"When they challenge, it's always for a D rank battle," Evan said. "And they have a slight problem with the people they battle against dying."

"If it's a D rank battle they want, we'll give it to them," Itsuki said. "But there's one problem: where do we have it?"

"Right here, in the class rooms," Evan said. "It's the only place we have that can work for it. Them challenging us works too. The only problem is you morons." Evan put a cigarette to his lips and lit up, exhaling, "I don't know if I can get you guys ready for it, I mean, Agito barely manage to get you guys ready for behemoth, and you only won by a fluke."

"What, so you're gonna teach things that Agito couldn't?" Onigiri asked.

"No little piglet, I'm going to try to teach you things that Agito could never teach you. Most of all, I'll teach you to grind and ride them."

"Out of the question," Itsuki said. "Air treks aren't for that. They're for riding the wind, spreading your wings and flying away."

"Yeah, that worked really well for Martin Luther King Jr., but there is one problem you pacifistic moron," Evan said. "Evan MLK Jr. was shot down and killed by a man with a gun. This isn't some politic shit between two countries. This is a battle, and in this one, if you don't fight above them, you are going to fucking die. I've been watching this team since before I came here when I was researching teams in Japan, if you don't use your treks as a weapon against them, you will die."

"That's a moving speech and all that, but I don't quite get the part about not using our treks as a weapon getting us killed," Itsuki said.

Evan reached behind him in his coat and pulled out a lap top. He went to the site and brought up the profiles for the top five riders for the Night Surgeons. "Sakura Senzai, skater level: 88, Ame-no-Murokumo, skater level: 84, Kogarasumaru, skater level: 87, Juuchi Yosamu, skater level: 90, Yawaraka Te, skater level: 95," Evan said as he smoked.

"They all listed themselves under the names of famous swords throughout Japanese history. The sword smithing break through of Kogarasumaru, The two swords the Masamune and Muramasa used in their legendary competition to see which was better, the sword of Murokumo, and Sakura Senzai. No one knows their real names," Evan said.

"None of them are below an eighty?" Buccha asked.

"There's no way that we can beat them," Onigiri said.

"What the fuck do you think I told you not too long ago," Evan said. "If you review their matches you'll see that leave no openings when you fight the way that you guys did against Behemoth, and the blades on their treks make them all that more dangerous. If you are going to fight them, you are going to have to learn what took me and Agito ages to learn in just about a week."

"And what is it that we have to learn," Itsuki asked.

"How to use the wheels of your treks to cut flesh without hesitation or flinching."

"I don't think that we could do that," Itsuki said.

"You'll do it," Evan said as he exhaled a cloud of smoke at the screen of his lap top. "When you are faced with the choice of them or you, you will inevitably choose you. Your survival instincts will kick in and if I can't have you boys instinctively using your treks to save your lives, then you will die."

Itsuki sighed, accepting defeat. "Fine, teach us."

******The next day******

"Keep going, if that's the fastest that all of you can go, then Kazu is the only one who has a chance at all at staying alive," Evan yelled as he watched them going round and round the track, smoking.

"Keep you turns tighter, if you can't turn sharp enough, you won't be able to handle a corkscrew drill stop," Evan said.

"Onigiri, you better get used to using that weight of yours in all the skating you do or you aren't going to pull off the special tricks I have in store for you," Evan said as Onigiri fell over on his side. "This would be so much fucking easier if you could skate on your feet," Evan growled.

"Fats man, work on the flat land spins, just like you were on a wall," Evan said, "and when you can get them right, work on your one foot technique and you'll be all set.

"Alright crow boy, get over here and fall in," Evan said blowing a whistle.

"Yes coach," Itsuki said, giving Evan a sarcastic salute.

"You're showing good hustle out there for being the one who spoke so strongly against learning what I have to teach you," Evan said

"What can I say, I wanna live."

"Everyone knows that you are said to be the future Sky King," Evan lit up a new cigarette, "in truth that makes you one of our key fighters in the upcoming battle."

"How?"

"If I explain it to you that takes away from your right to claim that you are a genius."

"Can you just give me a little hint?"

"No."

"Just a teeny went itsy bitsy little hint?"

"No."

"But I wanna have a hint," Itsuki cried.

Evan reached into the back of his coat and pulled out a small wooden cube and handed it to Itsuki. "What's this," he asked.

"It's a Congreve Cube," Evan said. "Look close enough and it will inspire you, just study your geometry and trig carefully this week," he said with a wink.

"Tell me something," Itsuki said, "You aren't like the members of behemoth or Agito. You aren't psychotic or as pissy as they were. How the hell did you take over the Blood Road in America?"

"I have a slight… condition," Evan said. He took the lap top out from behind his coat and gave it to Itsuki, "look up the footage from my battles in America and you'll see just what that is."

Roughly One Year Ago

"So what do you think, do you think that this guy has what it takes?" Spitfire asked Simca as they sat, watching the screen of a computer displaying Evan's stats and a current match.

"I think he might, but it's up to Agito whether or not he inherits it or has to fight for it," she said as put her hat on and headed for the door. "He is kinda hot though," she said. "I kinda have a thing for that coat he's got."

"Since when were you into Americans?" he asked her.

"Since I saw one that was actually a good storm rider. He belongs here," she said.

"Where are you going?"

"To give my little crow the show he yearns for and the up-skirt that goes with it," she said with a wink.

"Why don't you go to America and check this guy out for Agito?"

"I only look into the men I want to be the Sky King, not a man who's already a Blood King," she said.

"This guy doesn't exactly use the blood alone, and his regalia can still give him some incredible height for it. The Americans made their Claw regalia capable of suspending blood in the air, almost like they were trying to carve out a new path."

"Think that this guy can complete what the other one started? Blending the Blood and Sky roads to create that 'moon rode'?"


	5. Onigiri

American Gear

Chapter Five: Onigiri

Once more, the Night Surgeons had surrounded Eastside JHS, ready for the cube match. The blades on their treks reflected the moonlight on deadly edges, hungry for flesh and blood. Evan, on the roof, tossed the butt of his cigarette and rode the wall down to greet them,

"Welcome to our humble home, if you would present your riders to the front, I will gladly show them to their cubes," he said.

Five riders stepped forward, two of them women, three of them men. "You will not show us to our cubes," said one of the women.

"Itsuki Minami is mine," the other woman said.

"And you'll be mine," said the other. "These three will take on the others."

Evan smirked and turned, leading them into the halls of Eastside JHS. "Itsuki is at the end of this hall on the right, I'm on the left. You three others have to find the others on the next floor up."

"Show no mercy," said one of the women.

"Yes Ma'am," they replied before dashing and wall riding up to the next floor.

"I never thought that Yawaraka-Te and Juuchi Yosamu were women," Evan said as he led them down the hall.

"Few men ever do," they said in unison as they took their helmets and uniforms of, tossing them aside to reveal the traditional dressings of kendo. "It tends to play to our advantage when we reveal our gender."

**Five Minutes Later, Upstairs, Onigiri's Cube**

"I will tell you who I am," said the anonymous Night Surgeon that entered Onigiri's cube. "I am called the Ame-no-Murokumo, the Sword of Murokumo, and I…" he took his helmet off, "will kill you."

"We'll see about that," Onigiri said as he balanced on his head.

Wheels ground and cut deep into the walls of the class room used for Onigiri's cube. No matter what he tried, Onigiri couldn't keep up with Ame.

"With your neck so close to the ground, you make it so simple," Ame said as he three sixty spun and slit at Onigiri's throat, managing to graze him over the Adam's apple, shallowly. "This battle won't be decided as your battle against the Gorgon of Behemoth."

"I won't let a little bloodshed stop me," Onigiri said.

"Shut up pussy lips," Ame said as he launched forward, "your scent road is useless against someone whose sanity is questionable." With one fluid movement, Ame had dug the blades of his treks into Onigiri's chest. "And there's one win for the Night Surgeons."

Earlier That Week

"Onigiri, you better pray that you don't get stuck fighting Ame no Murokumo, your scent road won't work against him," Evan said.

"Why not?"

"His sanity is questionable. His senses don't work the same way as someone else's. He suffered brain damage and his senses are slowly failing, one at a time."

"So if I face him, that means that I'm as good as dead?"

"Basically," Evan said as he lit up a cigarette. "However, you still have a chance, but it isn't likely. You'd need to trek on your feet and not your head for it to happen."

"Well then I'm screwed if I face him, aren't I?"

"It's a one out of five chance that you'll die, but yes."


	6. Kazu

American Gear

Chapter Six: Kazu

One of the three lesser Night Surgeons glided casually into Kazu's room, taking off his mask. Looking Kazu up and down, he laughed. "So, you're Kogarasumaru's speed demon, 'stealth,'" he said. "Since I know you, it would only be right for me to tell you my name so that you may have an honorable death by my treks. I am Sakura Senzai of the Night Surgeons. I will be killing you this evening."

"We're just gonna have to see about that," Kazu said as he took a starting stance, much as he did when facing the Sable Tigers, pressing back on his treks. His gears grinding as he began burning out.

"Indeed we will," Sakura said as he launched himself towards Kazu.

Kazu disappeared from view with the sheer speed of his launch. He leapt above and slide grinded his way down Sakura's back, drawing blood that splashed towards the walls. The force of his landing was transferred to his forward movement and he sped off again, circling around Sakura, who began to panic, becoming unable to move as his motor skills shut down to put more focus on trying to spot Kazu.

As Kazu circled around Sakura, he got closer and closer until he was close enough to pull a 1080 body grind on him, centrifugal force increasing his speed and the torque of his spin straining Sakura's muscles and bones. Spinning wheels bit sharp into Sakura's skin. As he launched himself from Sakura's body, the bloodshed from his initiation of the attack hit the floor.

After landing, Kazu casually glided up to Sakura, and with one punch, laid him flat. "Indeed we've seen," he said. "Evan was right… Aeon Clock's time control really isn't that hard…"

****Earlier that Week****

"Kazu, you're going to slide grind your way down the back of these dummies and land and instantly shoot forward," Evan said as he lit a cigarette. "RIGHT after you land you are going to shoot forward, do you understand?"

"Yeah, I got it," Kazu said. On the first attempt, there was a pause before he moved forward.

"Damnit you son of a bitch, launch right when you land or you won't get it when you need it," Evan said as he exhaled. "Watch," Evan said as he showed Kazu how. "That's what you gotta do, you can't get the speed on your push off so you gotta rely on the extra force you can exert from the landing to stop time like Aeon Clock, it's easier than you think."

Kazu tried again but couldn't get it. "Damnit…"

"Do you think that a technique in martial arts is mastered in one or two tries? Get on your fucking feet and keep trying until you get it," Evan said as he blew smoke at Kazu.

Kazu growled as he waved the smoke from his face.

"You got a problem with it? Then take it up with the afterlife cause that's where you'll be if you don't get off your ass and keep working on it," Evan said as he blew smoke in Kazu's face again.

"Stop blowing that damn smoke in my face," Kazu said as he came around and went back to practicing.


	7. Fats Buccha and Evan

American Gear

Chapter Seven: Fats Buccha and Evan

"The Night King, isn't that what you once were called?" Kogarasumaru said, panting as he caught his breath.

"I went by that once," Buccha said as he set a stance to launch from. Kogarasumaru was a perfect match for Buccha, a fight he could only dream of. While Kogarasumaru had a very high level, he had a very low stamina, and couldn't keep up with Buccha on the walls.

"Why don't you just surrender, I'd rather not have to beat you to a pulp," Kogarasumaru said.

"I'm not the one on the ropes," Buccha said as he launched to the wall and jumped towards his target, turning and grinding around before pushing off with enough force to push Kogarasumaru to the wall opposite the one he was jumping to. He then rode the walls to where his opponent lay and flat land 360 corkscrew stopped ontop of him.

Kogarasumaru passed out from the pain and went limp. "And that's one win for us," Buccha said as he skated out of the room.

****First Floor, Evan's Room****

"It's a shame that I must face such a beautiful woman, I'd much rather take you to bed than beat the shit outta you," Evan said as he faced Juuchi Yosamu. "Interesting that you picked that particular sword for your name sake, though."

"I am a descendant of the great Muramasa," she said. "So I picked the name of the greatest sword that he ever made."

"But don't forget what the Buddhist monk that observed the test he made it for said of it," Evan said.

"That's why I picked it, it is only fitting that an evil woman would take the name of an evil sword, a sword that kills indiscriminately."

"We shall see if there is any killing tonight," Evan said as he took his stance, leaving an opening for her, knowing she would take it.

"Indeed we shall," she said before taking to opening to attempt a slice with the blades on her treks.

Evan moved to take the hit, being careful to only let her get so deep with it, before he grabs her leg and launched forward, dragging her behind him before 1080 corkscrew stopping and launching her into the wall. "You'll find that I'll be quite different from the people that you're used to fighting," he said.

"Well, it seems… that is true already," she said as she recovered from the throw. "You've studied martial arts, haven't you?"

"Tae Kwon Do, Judo, and Kendo… Not to put too fine a point on it," Evan said as he set his next stance. "I take it that you yourself have studied aswell."

"Indeed I have," she said as she launched forward. Evan took another shallow cut and grabbed her leg again, launching towards a wall and slamming her into it, face first. As he pulled her head away from it, her nose began bleeding. He could smell both his and her blood on the air and closed his eyes. He threw her by her hair to the floor and skated up to her, grabbing her by her shirt.

He picked her up and licked the blood that had seeped down to her lips away with a rough kiss before using a judo technique to through her into another wall. He stood tall and cracked his neck before turning to face straight at her, setting an unorthodox stance. "I'm ready whenever you are, hot stuff."

She forced herself to her feet and glared at him. "How dare you kiss me like that," she said as she set her stance.

Evan took a low bow and looked up at her, "Don't even lie, you know you liked it," he said.

She growled and lunged towards him. Evan rolled forward and let his rear wheels land on her shoulders. As they hit, she absorbed the motion and went down willingly with it, rolling as she hit the ground and launching forward, taking her away from him.

"Careful, if you make it too fun I might lose all control," he said as he took a low stance and shot forward, faking to go straight for her neck, but feinting into a hajime from judo, as she fell backwards, he jumped up and set his wheels on her stomach, following her down and quickly locking the front wheels.

Crouching on top of her, he gazed down into her eyes. "You blood smells divine," he said as he wiped some away with his finger and licked it. "I'd like some more of it… fresh," he said as he pinned one of her wrists down and applied pressure to get his rear wheel grinding against her skin, drawing blood and meriting a scream of pain from his opponent.

He leapt off her and landed a ways away, unlocking the front wheels. "Are you having fun yet?" he asked her as she once more forced herself to her feet.

"Maybe I am," she said as she looked dead into his eyes.

"Youre making a big mistake with that," he said.

"And what mistake is that?"

"Never look a wolf dead in the eyes," he growled at her and took a stance. "We take that as a challenge," he said. To her, the stance he held as he circled her reminded her greatly of a wolf, circling its prey before it went into for the kill. "I can smell your fear…. I can taste it. Tell me, what is it that makes you scared right now?"

She growled. "I am not scared of you," she said as she lunged at him, catching his leg with a slice before he grabbed it and threw her away to the side.

"I can take whatever you dish out," he said. "But can you take what I got?"

She lunged at him again, feinting at the last second and throwing him to the wall. His back slammed against it and in a flash she covered the distance to get him by his throat.

He glared into her eyes and grabbed her wrist in one hand, turning it the wrong way. "Mayhaps now it is time to unleash the fury of the Moon Road on you," he said as he threw her away

He unveiled to her his regalia's true form as he hit a switch on the outside of each trek between the big toe and heel. The claws on his regalia slid forward from the sides and the front and rear wheels became spiked. "Now meet your fate in the jaws of the timber wolf," he said as he took a stance, the image of a timber wolf blazing behind him.

He launched forward with a howl and kicked her into the air. The spikes of his wheels had given him better traction and his speed and acceleration rates had gone up. He clawed his way up the wall and jumped of it, flipping and spinning to slash at her with his claws, a crazed look entered his eyes as a bit of blood splashed his face.

He landed and disappeared from site as he launched again. When he came to a stop it was as though he was floating in the air. "Welcome… To the Moon Road," he said as clouds cleared away from the full moon, silhouetting him in front of it.

His wheels stopped spinning and he fell to the ground next to her. He picked her up and threw her again, disappearing and reappearing behind her, he slashed her vertically before dropping to get her into a submission hold. "Now surrender hot cakes, or I'll snap your pretty little neck.

"I'm not scared of you…." She said weakly.

"Surrender you fucking cunt or I'll snap you're fucking neck," he said as he applied more pressure to show he wasn't joking.

"I… surrender," she said weakly.

He let her go and went to the door, taking deep breaths and trying to ring himself down from the blood lust high that he was on.

Two Days Earlier

"I know what it is… Your 'condition,'" Itsuki said as he handed Evan back his lap top. "You can't kick ass until you feel blood lust."

"Yeah, that's right," Evan said. "How did you figure it out?"

"Well, being the genius that I am, I naturally noticed that you were always on a solid defensive until either you or your opponent drew blood. Then you went psycho."

"Yeah, that's the whole secret behind it, blood lust."

"I think that you would have been able to get the fang from Agito," Itsuki said. "That blood lust that you were doin… You were doin things I only heard Agito talk about wanting to be able to do…"

"My regalia is a lot different than his," he said. "Mine allows for air and hang time because the power of my road relies on blood suspended in the air from static. The wheels of my treks are designed to create a static charge that is absorbed by the iron in blood. The rest of how my regalia works is a closely guarded secret, but it aint done yet."

"So your blood lust is perfect for building the Moon Road."

"In away, yes."


	8. Itsuki

American Gear

Chapter Eight: Itsuki

"So, you're the crow I have heard so much about," Yawaraka Te said as she sized Itsuki up.

"Yeah, so?" Itsuki said as he skated circles around her, waiting for her to start the fight.

"I am Yawaraka Te, leader of the Night Surgeons, and I will kill you for the fang regalia," she said before launching at him. Ikki dodge right and launched towards the wall, riding up and onto the ceiling, dropping down on top of her and pinning her.

"That's a bold claim… Better make sure that you can follow up on it," he said.

"You better believe I will," she said before kneeing him in the balls.

"Bitch," he said. He still hadn't figured anything out about that Congreve cube that Evan had given him. To Ikki, it was nothing more than a joke.

After recovering, Yawaraka Te launched herself at him again, hoping to slash him with a 1080 cork screw. Ikki launched himself into the air, feeling something different about the air around him this time. For a second, he thought that he could see a platform in the air, though only for a second.

Each time that Yawaraka Te attacked him, and he launched himself into the air, he could feel it stronger and stronger. Eventually, after he had become beaten and bloody, not having made a single strike land on Yawaraka Te, he had caught on.

"I hope you're ready, the tables are gonna turn now," he said as he leapt into the air and hovered, having found what was so important about the Congreve cube: air current.

He saw platforms of the Sky Road popping up and disappearing before his eyes all over the room were pockets of low density, cool fresh air were colliding with high density warm air pockets of stagnant air in the room. Leaping from one to the other, Ikki was 'flying' circles around Yawaraka Te, swooping to strike, and leaping back up onto another platform.

Soon, from Ikki's hit and run strikes from above, Yawaraka Te was dazed. Ikki landed before her, and with one last power blow, had knocked her out. "And I thought you were gonna kill me…"

*****Half an Hour Later*****

"DAMNIT," Ikki roared when he found Onigiri's beaten and bloody corpse. "It's your fucking fault Evan."

"My fault? My fault? Apparently you haven't noticed what is really going on around here in the world of air treks just yet," Evan said.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"It's a damned war zone," he said. "From the second you formed Kogarasumaru and entered onto the parts war scene, you were just another nation to add itself to the war to claim the top of trophaeum," Evan grabbed Itsuki by his shirt and lifted him off the ground, "So listen up and listen good. Did you think that the members of Behemoth were fucked up? They are normal and sane compared to some of the other more desparate teams out there. You all understood that going into this it was live or die. You ALL KNEW that this battle wasn't just for territory or to keep the fang. This was a battle for your lives. Now you can either ignore the sacrifice Onigiri had made for this team and leave his death to be worth nothing and there fore holding no honor… Or you can give his death meaning and honor and keep going, fighting to take the top of trophaeum and the title of Sky king so that you can change it. Give me a call when you've decided what you're going to do."

Evan tossed Itsuki to the side. "And even if you have decided what you're going to do, don't bother until you have come to understand what war really is and have found the will to sacrifice what is most dear to you now to achieve that which will be most dear to you in the future."


	9. Resolve

American Gear

Chapter Nine: Resolve

Wind swept the long raven hair of a tall woman as she stepped out of the air port. A pair of Air Treks slung over her shoulder. A long black leather coat matching with the tight leather corset and black leather pants she wore caught the wind and blew out behind her as she scanned her surroundings, looking for the only person she knew in this country.

When she saw him, she smiled and with a long graceful stride made her way over to Evan who stood, leaning against a light pole, waiting for her. "I hope you brought me my smokes, Winry," he said as he embraced her tightly and softly kissed her cheek.

"There are five crates unloading now for you, Kool green shorts, your favorite," She said as she returned the embrace.

"I knew I loved you for more than just your talents as my Synch," he said.

"Its Tuner in this part of the world, remember?"

"Yeah… But synching is completely different than tuning," he said. "You aren't tuning to my body, you're synching to it," he said.

"Yeah, that's true. Where are we staying while we're here?"

"You're gonna love it. Let's get my smokes and go," he said as he pinched her ass to get her going.

****Earlier that day***

"Spitfire! Simca! It's great to see you both after, what has it been, three years now? You were just a little burning ember back then Spitfire. And you, Simca, you were just a little hatchling compared to where you both are now!" Evan said as he shook hands with Spitfire and briefly embraced Simca.

"And you were just a pup learning to hunt on his own. Too stubborn to run with a pack, you were well on your way to being the lone wolf you are now," Simca said. "What brought you out of solitary with no company but your Synch to come here and move into my little crow's team?"

"The same thing that brings any wolf out of solitary… Necessity. I want that little crow to succeed just as much as you do. The three of us all know that sleeping forest will soon come back," he said. "I want your word that you won't get in the way of me tracking down Sora."

"You're gonna have to deal with Rika if you want to get to him," Spitfire said.

"Even if I run into her and she wants to get in the way, don't forget, wolves are quite comfortable in the forest. The original Queen of the Rose Road would pose no more threat to me than a deer ignorant of my presence!" Evan said.

"Whatever you say. I wouldn't want to get in a brawl with her," Simca said.

"Relax. I'll be fine. When this is all over, why don't you guys come visit me in America?"

"Fat chance," they said in unison.

"Now before we move on to pleasure, I have a little more business with you, Spitfire," Evan said as he pulled a few CD-R's in their cases from his coat pocket. "You might want to take a look at little Kazu. He seems very promising as your successor," Evan said as he passed the CD-R's to Spitfire.

"That little beanie prick?" Spitfire asked.

"Yeah."

"He looks like he has a penis head with that beanie on all the time."

"Get over it," Evan said. "He has incredible potential. He pulled you're signature after burner trick a few nights ago."

"Really? Then maybe he's worth looking into after all. Now what pleasure was there?"

"I'm leaving you guys to your own devices. I gotta go meet my Synch at the airport. She's getting in today with my smokes. I gotta be there on time."

"You're leaving us? Now that IS a pleasure," Simca said as she glided to Evan and gave him a gentle embrace before he left.

"you know," Simca said after Evan had left, "Seeing him again after all this time kinda reminds me of what I like in American men."

***Later That Day***

"So you're giving up?" Ringo asked Itsuki as she leaned on the door frame to his room.

"Leave me alone," he said. Itsuki hadn't left his bedroom since Onigiri's funeral. Closed casket.

"The Ikki I always knew never gave up on anything he started," she said as she strode to his bed where he lay.

"I said leave me alone," Itsuki said.

"No, I'm not gonna sit back and watch you just give up on what you were so passionate about only a few days ago!"

"YEAH! Well things change. If I'd have to lose all my friends just so I can change the world than I'd rather change nothing!" Itsuki yelled.

Ringo glared at Itsuki before she smacked him across the face. "GROW UP! Don't you get it? Nothing ever changes in this world until someone risks it all to make the change! If you give up now, who will change the world of air treks? That little bitch Simca? Or maybe your psychotic American friend? Ikki, this is something that if you don't do, no one else will!"

Itsuki couldn't look Ringo in the eyes. Instead, he got up and went to his cell phone on his desk. "So its up to me then. I'm the only one that can make the world of air treks free?"

"That's what everyone's been telling you, you moron."

"Fine then. If no one else can do it, then I guess I have to." He said as he dialed Evan's number.

"Yeah, Evan? It's Itsuki. I'm ready to change the world…. Huh? Yeah… Take the Fang, you earned it."

***Much Later That Day***

"Fats Man, could you get those crates up in the hide out for me?"

"Yeah," Buccha said as he started ferrying the crates of Evan's cigarettes up into the hide out.

"THIS is where we are going to live? Inside the clock tower of a school?"

"Yeah. You got a problem with it Winry?" Evan asked

"No… I just thought that we were going to have an apartment or something…"

"Apartments cost money… something we don't have much of on the financial plan we're on over here. We have enough to eat and do laundry. After that, it's not enough to afford an apartment," Evan said.

"Will we… will we have time alone?" Winry asked.

"Yeah, we will," Evan said as he pulled Winry close to him. "We'll have the whole night to ourselves."

"I did pack that school girl outfit that drives you crazy…"

"And we will technically be in a classroom…"

"I think I like this place…"

"You'll like it even more when you see it," Evan said as he lofted Winry into his arms bridal style and rode the wall into the hide out. He faltered on his landing, but not enough to cause him to fall. "I need to get Synched up again," Evan said. "My treks are falling out of synch with my newer abilities. Plus, We got the Fang," Evan said.

"WE GOT THE FANG!!!???"

Evan nodded.

"Well then I gotta get right to work on it."

"Take your time on it babe, I got some business to take care of," he said as he took off his regalia and put on a back up pair of secondary treks. "I gotta see the future Rose Queen about my Crow."

***Slightly Later that Night***

Evan was sitting on a park bench, waiting and smoking when Ringo glided up to him. "This had better be important, You're infringing on my training time," she said.

"Ringo… Future Team Captain of Sleeping Forest, future Rose Queen. If you so much as lay one more finger on the Crow before the time comes, I swear to God… I'll kill you myself."

"You had me come all the way out here just to tell me that?"

"Yeah. And tell your eldest sister that when I go to see Sora, she better not stand in my way. Its cute that she's trying to play the role of the protective mother with Itsuki… But its time that the little crow left the nest."

Ringo glared at Evan. "I am nobody's messenger gi-"

Ringo was cut off with a gasp when Evan was suddenly in her face, clutching her throat tightly in his grasp. "These may be my back up treks for when my regalia is getting Synched and modded… but I am still faster and stronger than you when neither of us have our regalia on. Keep that in mind when you think about getting in my way," Evan said as he started to raise Ringo off the ground, "Little girl."

"You're a psycho," Ringo said.

"Yes… But I'm one of the good guys. Now run along and tell Big Sister that if she stands in the way of the Timber Wolfe, she'll be snapped like a twig by my Claw and Fang."


End file.
